Quick answer
QuickBooks hosting mode is stored per computer and per QuickBooks version, not inside the company file. The computer that stores the file should be the only one hosting multi-user access; every workstation should have Host Multi-User Access turned off. When the toggle misbehaves, stop hosting on the workstations, reset it on the server, fix folder permissions, and confirm the result with F2.
What Host Multi-User Access actually controls
Hosting describes the situation where the computer that stores a company file allows other computers to reach it. In QuickBooks Desktop, open the File menu and hover over Utilities. That menu shows exactly one hosting command, and the command tells you the current state:
- Host Multi-User Access appears when hosting is off on this computer. Selecting it turns hosting on.
- Stop Hosting Multi-User Access appears when hosting is on. Selecting it turns hosting off.
Hosting is set for each computer and for each QuickBooks version. It is not stored in the company file, and it is not stored in the QuickBooks installation as a whole. When two versions such as 2023 and 2024 run side by side, each version keeps its own hosting setting. Fixing the 2024 hosting mode does nothing for a workstation that connects with 2023.
There are three modes. Not Hosting cannot serve multi-user access; QuickBooks uses shared memory locally. Hosting Local Files only is the normal server mode: it runs the database as a Windows service named QuickBooksDBXX under the QBDataServiceUserXX account and serves files stored on that computer. Hosting Local & Remote files runs the database under the logged-in Windows user and can host files that live elsewhere; on a workstation, that mode usually produces error -6000, -82 or -6000, -106.
QuickBooks also requires three conditions before any workstation can open the file: Full Control on the company-file folder, a database server that can open the file, and a QuickBooks user login and password for each person.
Decision chart: which computer should host
| Your setup | Who should host | What every other computer does |
|---|---|---|
| One PC stores the file, two to five workstations connect | That PC stays the host, and it must remain powered on | Hosting off, then File → Switch to Multi-user Mode |
| Dedicated server holds the files, nobody works in QuickBooks on it | The server | Hosting off, use the shared folder over the network |
| Two QuickBooks versions installed on one PC | Set hosting only for the version you serve | Workstations match the server's version |
| The current host workstation is shut down every evening | Move the files to an always-on server, then host from there | Hosting off on the old machine |
| Terminal server or Remote Desktop host | The terminal server, configured once | Remote sessions connect as clients and never toggle hosting |
| QuickBooks Desktop with Hosting (Rightworks or an authorized provider) | The hosting provider | Contact the host for hosting issues, Intuit for QuickBooks issues |
| Single user, no sharing needed | Nobody hosts | Hosting off everywhere; Database Server Manager is not needed |
| Files are on a NAS device or a sync folder such as OneDrive | None — move the files first | Use a local disk in a Windows computer or a supported file share |
Common wrong states that break hosting
- A workstation is hosting. One or more clients host while the server also hosts, producing errors H101, H303, H505, or -6175,0. Only the server should host.
- A workstation is in Hosting Local & Remote files mode. The client tries to serve a remote company file itself, which produces -6000, -82 or -6000, -106 when the file opens.
- Hosting is off on the server. Workstations then fail with H202. On a server running the full QuickBooks program, hosting must be on.
- The hosting toggle will not stick. Missing folder permissions for the QuickBooks user or the
QBDataServiceUserXXaccount, or an account without Windows admin rights, blocks the change. - Version mismatch. Hosting is on for one QuickBooks version, but the workstation connects with a different version that has hosting off.
- A reboot or address change. The service may not restart, the Windows user may be logged out, or the server's IP may change and invalidate the
.NDfile.
Before you change hosting settings
Toggling hosting disconnects users. Anyone working in the file loses their connection the moment hosting changes, and QuickBooks may require the company file to be closed first. Make a backup of the company-file folder, then make the change after hours or during a quiet period, and tell the team before you start.
- Know which QuickBooks version you are fixing. Hosting is per version.
- Confirm the designated host computer and make sure it is the computer that stores the files.
- Have a Windows admin account available for service and folder-permission changes.
- Keep a copy of the
.QBW,.ND, and.TLGfiles in the hosting folder before you begin.
How to fix QuickBooks hosting mode problems
Stop hosting on every workstation
Open QuickBooks on each workstation. You do not need to open the company file. Go to File → Utilities. If the menu shows Stop Hosting Multi-User Access, select it and confirm the prompts — that computer was incorrectly acting as a host. If it shows Host Multi-User Access, leave it alone; hosting is already off there.
Repeat on every computer that does not store the file. This fixes H101, H303, H505, and -6175,0.
Reset hosting on the server
On the server, open QuickBooks and go to File → Utilities. If Host Multi-User Access is listed, select it. Then reopen the menu: if Stop Hosting Multi-User Access now appears, select it to turn hosting back off. Reopen the menu one more time and select Host Multi-User Access again.
This on-off-on cycle resets a stuck or inconsistent hosting configuration. When it finishes, select File → Switch to Multi-user Mode.
Fix permission errors when the toggle fails
If hosting will not turn on, or QuickBooks reports that it cannot change the setting, the folders are usually the problem. Right-click the company-file folder and open Properties → Security → Edit. Give your Windows account Full Control, then give the matching QBDataServiceUserXX account Full Control too — for example, QBDataServiceUser33 alongside the 2023 version.
Repeat on the Sharing tab so the account has Full Control over the network share. Then check that QuickBooksDBXX is running in services.msc with Startup type Automatic. If the toggle still fails, close QuickBooks, right-click its icon, and choose Run as administrator once.
Recover hosting after a server reboot or IP change
After a reboot, confirm QuickBooksDBXX restarted: in services.msc, set Startup type to Automatic and the Recovery tab to Restart the Service for all failures. The host must stay on, and the Windows user who set up hosting must remain logged in; QuickBooks itself can be closed.
If the server's address changed, the .ND file holds the old one. Either assign a DHCP reservation or static IP so the address stops moving, then rescan the company-file folder with QuickBooks Database Server Manager so the .ND file is rebuilt. From a workstation, test the connection by pinging the server by both hostname and IP address.
Handle terminal servers, RDP, and hosted environments
On a supported local terminal server, hosting and the company files stay on the server. Users connect remotely and run QuickBooks there, so it is not installed on their own computers, and no remote session should toggle hosting. Configure hosting once on the server, then have sessions open the file in multi-user mode.
If your QuickBooks runs with an authorized hosting provider, the provider owns the hosting layer. Contact the hosting company for hosting setup and connection problems and Intuit for QuickBooks-specific issues; Intuit may ask for your IT administrator or a hosting representative on the call. In hosted environments, files are usually moved in and out through the provider's file manager, and local drives are not accessible, so do not run your own scans or move files by hand unless the host tells you to.
Verify hosting with F2 and a second computer
In QuickBooks, press F2 to open the Product Information window. At the bottom, the Local Server Information section shows the hosting state. On the server, hosting should be on and set to local files only. On every workstation, hosting should be off.
Then open the company file from a second computer in multi-user mode, post a test transaction, and delete it. Press F2 there and confirm the server name and IP match your server.
Verify the fix
- Check F2 on the server: Local Server Information shows hosting on.
- Check F2 on every workstation: hosting shows off.
- Confirm
QuickBooksDBXXis running and set to Automatic on the server. - Open the file from two computers at once and post a test transaction from one, then delete it.
- If reboots were part of the problem, restart the server and repeat steps 1 through 4 before you call it fixed.
- Create a fresh backup once everything passes.
Prevention
- Designate one host and document it, along with the QuickBooks version, in your multi-user setup notes.
- Keep hosting off on workstations. If Stop Hosting keeps reverting, confirm Database Server Manager is not installed on that computer; only the server should run it.
- Use a static IP or DHCP reservation for the host so the
.NDfile stays accurate. - Verify hosting after every QuickBooks update, because each version keeps its own setting.
- Keep files on a local disk or supported Windows share, never on a NAS or sync folder.
- When connection errors persist, run the network diagnostic checks and review H202 and H505 guidance before changing hosting again.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Host and Stop Hosting Multi-User Access?
The menu shows only the command that changes the current state. If Host Multi-User Access is listed, hosting is off on that computer and selecting it turns hosting on. If Stop Hosting Multi-User Access is listed, hosting is on and selecting it turns hosting off.
Can two computers host the same company file at once?
No. Your server should be the only computer hosting. Additional hosts on the network cause errors H101, H303, H505, and -6175,0, so stop hosting on every workstation and leave it running only on the computer that stores the files.
Does the host computer need QuickBooks open all day?
No. The QuickBooksDBXX service serves the file in the background. The computer must stay on and the Windows user who set up hosting must remain logged in, but QuickBooks can be closed. If the host shuts down or that user signs out, workstations lose access.
Why can't I turn hosting on?
Permission problems are the usual cause. Give your Windows account and the QBDataServiceUserXX account Full Control on the folder and share, confirm QuickBooksDBXX is running, and try QuickBooks as administrator once. Files on a NAS, mapped drive, or sync folder can also block the change.
Does hosting mode work on RDP or Citrix?
On a supported terminal server, hosting is configured once on the server and remote sessions connect as clients; they never toggle hosting. With an authorized hosting provider such as Rightworks, the provider manages hosting, so contact the host for hosting problems and Intuit for QuickBooks problems.